The Foley catheter is a well-known device for use with patients who have, for some reason, lost control of their bladder. This catheter includes an elongated tube having two passageways therethrough, a first passageway for draining fluid from the bladder and a second passageway which is fluidly connected to a branch tube of the catheter and which is fluidly connected within the bladder to an inflatable balloon. A source of air pressure may be applied to the branch tube so that through the associated passageway in the elongated tube, this balloon may be inflated within the bladder so as to retain the catheter in inserted position therein.
With the catheter structure in mind, a need has developed for an effective device for attaching the catheter to the leg of the patient so that the catheter will not move in situations when the balloon may become deflated. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,726,280; 3,878,849 and 4,484,913 are known to Applicant, and each discloses a fastening device which may be used with a urinary catheter of the Foley-type. However, these prior art fastening devices are extremely cumbersome and expensive and may cause discomfort to the patient who uses them.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,280 to Lacount discloses a fastening device which fastens the catheter to the leg at the area of the branch between the branch tube and the elongated tube thereof. However, the Lacount device requires an elongated strap 34 which extends completely about the leg of the user thereof. Such a strap is extremely uncomfortable and may cause varying degrees of discomfort for different extents of flexure of the thigh muscles of the associated leg. Accordingly, a need has developed for a fastening device for a urinary catheter of the Foley-type which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and which minimizes discomfort to the patient.